Excavator



Patented .lnly 24, 1923.,

WILLIAM OTTO, or EDGELEY, NORTH DAKOTA.

EXCAVATOR.

Application med July 1,

.To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I,l IVILLIAM OTTO, a citizen of the United States, .residing at Edgeley, in the county of La Moure, and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in EX- cavators, of which the following` is a specification.- y

rIhis invention relates to mechanical excavators, and the main object is to provide an excavator for mining of river beds, or in other similar localities.

Another object is to provide an excavator which has a series of scoops secured to an endless chain. The chain is mounted in a pedestal bracket which permits rotation of the entire scoop chain. An additional means is provided by which the excavator scoops can be tilted to any angle suitable for the working conditions.

These and other objects will become apparent in the description below, in which characters of reference refer to the likenamed parts in the drawing.

Referring briefly to the drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevational View of the excavating machine.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is ay sectional elevational view of the excavating machine taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Describing` the drawing in detail, the numeral 10 represents the flat platform under which brackets 11 are secured which receive the aXle 12 of a pair of vehicular wheels 13. The forward end of the platform has a raised head 14, beneath which a wheel 15 is rotatably mounted in a swivel yoke 16. 'Ihe swivel stud 17 passes thru a slee-ve 18 and the cap 19 thereof is provided with a hauling handle 20.

A pedestal 21 is rigidly mounted centrally on the platform 10 and swivelly receives the shank 22 of a rotatable tongue 23. Hinge arms 25 formed integral with the tilt table 26 are pivotally secured to the tongue 24 of the head 23. the latter being secured in place at any angle by the handle nut 27, which threadably engages a pivot bolt 28. Said tilt table has side projections 29 which slidably receive longitudinal guides 30, which are formed on the lower surface of the side frames 31 from which bearing lugs 32 project upwardly. Shafts 38 and 33a are jour-n nalled in the lugs 32 and have sprocket wheels 3a secured thereto,` said wheels 34 1922. Serial No. 572,231.

being joined by endless sprocket chains 35 between which scoops 36 are secured. An extending portion of the shaft 33 is shaped into a crank 37. Cross arms 38 at the ends of the side frames rigidly retain the side frames in parallel relation to each other.

Bolts 39 are threadably secured in the members 29 and `secure the side frames rigidly in place on `the tilt table 26.

In using the excavating machine, the platform 10` is wheeled to any desired location by the hauling handle 20. As the platform is mounted on three wheels it can be seen that extreme mobility is thereby affected, permitting the turning of the platform within its own length, thus allowing the machine to be used in confined areas.

In placer mining, the ore is generally taken from a shallow river bed or from the perpendicular walls adjacent to such rivers. When an ore vein is located in a side wall, the excavating machine is backed into a place beside the vein. The ore is then removed by rotating the crank 37, which gives linear travel to the sprocket chains 35.

As the scoops 36 are secured between the sprocket chains 35, the former will be thrust into the soil and a quantity will be deposited in each, and continued rotation of the crank will carry the loaded scoops to the opposite end of the frames where the said scoops are again inverted in passing over the upper sprocket wheels. The ore is precipitated out of the scoops and gathered in suitable containers in which it can be conveyed to the smelter.

As the ore has been removed from the surface of the diggings, it becomes necessary to move the scoops forward. This is accomplished by releasing the bolts 39 from engagement with projections, after which the frames can be moved forward to the new surface. The bolts 39 are again tightened, thereby holding the side frames in the new position. The usual type of ore generally changes its course, continually passing upwardly and alternating downwardly in a wave. Such erratic coursing of the ore vein can be easily followed by the tilting table which permits rota-tion of the scoop frames thru a large angle. and enables t-he scoops at all times, to be in Operative position.

I claim 1. An ore excavating machine comprising a wheeled platform, a pedestal thereon, side frames rotatably mounted on said pedestal,

sprocket wheels between said side frames, chains connecting said sprocket wheels, scoops secured to said chains, longitudinal projections on said side frames, a. tilt table pivotally secured to said pedestal having longitudinal guide grooves formed thereon, hinge arms on said tilt table engaging said pedestal, a handle knob adapted to releasablyV secure said tilt table in any desired angular position by engaging the hinge arms, said side frames adapted to he secured on said tilt table, and means for sliding said side frames laterally on the tilt table.

2. An ore excavating machine comprising a wheeled platform, a pedestal thereon, side frames mounted on said pedestal, sprocket wheels between said side frames, chains connecting said sprocket wheels, scoops secured to said chains, longitudinal projections on said side frames, a tilt tab-le havin hinge arms thereon pivotally secured tofsaic pedestal, a bolt passing thru said pedestal and hinge arms, a handle knob adapted toengage said bolt and releasably secure said tilt table in any desired angular position said side frames adapted to be secured on said tilt table, said side frame projections adapted to engage corresponding grooves in the tilt table and are slidable longitudinally therein, a crank handle extending from one of said sprocket kwheel shafts, a stud on said tilt table, rotatable in said pedestal adapted to permit horizontal rotation of the tilt table and frame, and bolt members threaded into said tilt table adapted to secure said side frames in any of the desired positions.

In witness whereof` I afx my signature.

WILLIAM OTTO. 

